Torrez

by Bex Dane

  He lowered his head.

  "Let's go outside. You're here for the money, right?"

  Helix raised his head. "Of course. Two mil for you dead? Highest pot I've seen in a long time."

  "You check the web lately? That hit's been called off."

  "Called off? You're full of shit."

  "It's true." Falcon's voice joined the room as he stepped up behind Drew and aimed his weapon at Helix's chest. Drew's eyes widened as he took in the much bigger guy behind him. "Hit on Lavonte is null." The hit hadn't been called off but Falcon played along.

  "This place is packed with cameras." I tilted my head to the camera in the corner. "You kill any one of us, you're going down. The cops are on their way. Least you'll get is breaking and entering with a weapon. Felony. You don't have any other strikes do you, Helix?"

  "Fuck." He got to his feet and bounced on his toes as his gaze flitted to the two exits. He'd have to go through Falcon and Drew or me.

  "Got more news for you, Helix. The hit on Greco is up to ten mil." I lied.

  "It is? Who ordered that hit?"

  "Don't know. Just know it's still active and he's an easy target. No cameras, no scared as fuck sons pointing weapons at your face, no snipers standing behind him on his side." I nodded at Drew and Falcon. "I'll make you a deal. You run right now. None of us will shoot you in the back. You're free to go. I destroy the video of the breaking and entering. You go after the ten mil and take care of Greco."

  I could almost see the gears tattooed on his head turning as he tried to judge my truthfulness. I raised one hand. "Code of honor, man. I'll let you run. This is forgotten. You get Greco."

  "What code of honor?"

  "Navy."

  "I ain't Navy. The syndicate has a much more fucked up code. A code where we'd all be dead by now."

  "My code is better. Hand me the weapon. I'll move aside. You can leave. The end." I held my palm flat.

  He looked at his weapon, then at me, then at Drew again. His brow creased with pain. Oh yeah, Drew got to him. "Leave me and my boy be. C'mon. Take it or the offer expires and I let my son have his first kill."

  Drew's eyebrows shot up, and he locked eyes with me. I nodded slightly to let him know I was in control.

  Helix let out a huge sigh. Placed the butt of his weapon in my hand, and kept his eyes locked to mine as he stepped by me. I moved aside and let him pass, keeping his weapon pointed at the floor.

  He flew out the back door like a bat out of hell.

  Falcon and Drew exhaled and lowered their weapons.

  "Holy shit, Dad. That was awesome!"

  I'd seen that spark in a man's eye after his first hint of action. "Don't get any ideas, son. It doesn't always end like that."

  Falcon laughed. "Usually it ends bloodier. Then it's even more fun."

  "Shut up, Primitivo. Go follow him off the property. Clear the rest of the house." Falcon nodded and followed Helix out.

  "Come here, boy." Drew walked to me and collapsed in my arms. His shoulders heaved—the bravado gone, the shock working its way in. "I got you. You did so well. Kept your cool under pressure."

  He pulled away. His pupils were dilated and his hands shook. "God, Dad. When you walked in with your arms wide, I wanted to pull the trigger then. I wanted to kill him before he could kill you."

  "I know. That's always the hardest part. But you did well. You can't get a bullet back in the chamber once it's out. Best to wait and see if you need it. Many times your intellect is the most powerful weapon." I breathed a sigh of relief Drew didn't need to see me kill someone. It would have been just because the guy had a weapon pulled on him, but I was glad my son wouldn't have that memory of me. I wanted him to see me as clean. His hero. Not a man able to shoot someone without conscience.

  "Looking back on it, I'm glad I didn't shoot Helix. He's a man like anyone else. He has a family. He may look like a machine, and he's caused me a lot of trouble over the years, so I did want to get even with him, but I got through to him by showing him my love for you. He saw my humanness, and I saw his. We couldn't kill each other over money or some stupid reason."

  "Is he going after Greco for you?" Drew asked.

  Oh shit. He heard all that. "Listen, Drew. Before anyone comes back into this room. You must never mention Greco or Helix to your mom, Duffy, Peyton, or anyone. You saw some high-level confidential activity tonight, but keeping quiet about it will save your life and all of theirs."

  He nodded.

  "I'll tell you the truth. Greco is a bad dude. A criminal. And as of right now, he is out to get me. And yes, I believe Helix will take care of him. You never heard of him, hear me?"

  "Yes, Dad."

  "Thank you."

  Jackie and Duffy raced into the room. Jackie rushed to Drew and embraced him. "Are you alright?" She held his head between her hands and inspected his face and body. "Were you hurt? We heard gunshots."

  "I'm fine, Mom. There was only one gunshot."

  I chuckled because it was true. All that action and only one shot fired. No injuries.

  "What happened." Duffy looked at me to explain.

  Drew pulled out of his mother's hold and started yapping. "Dad was so awesome. A, uh, burglar, broke in. He was uh, trying to steal stuff."

  Jackie looked from him to me to corroborate. I nodded because it worked, and I had no idea Drew possessed advanced lying skills. I'd have to keep a closer eye on him.

  Drew continued. "Dad fired a warning shot and he took off running."

  "Oh my goodness. Should we call the police?" Jackie asked.

  "No, I think he was scared enough," I replied. "Drew, go get Peyton from the safe room."

  "Oh thank God Peyton is safe." Jackie put her arms around Duffy.

  "Drew got her in there quick." I held up a finger. "One second, I need to check on Soraya."

  I called her up on my other phone. "Babe."

  "Oh my god, Torrez. I was so worried. I saw the whole thing."

  "I'm coming to get you."

  "I'm at the front door. Let me in."

  I ran to the door and opened it. She jumped into my arms. "Never leave me again. I was so scared."

  "You did great. You stayed calm. Got Peyton to safety."

  "Drew wouldn't listen to me. I told him to stay in the safe room."

  "I know. It all worked out."

  She kissed me and crawled up my body. Her tongue plunged into my mouth, desperate to connect. I didn't hesitate and kissed her back, walking to the wall to nail her to it. Her back hit the wall and she gasped. "You're here. I'm okay. Feel me. Here." The adrenaline coursing through us made it all so intense. If all these people weren't in the house...

  "A little post action fuck show?" Falcon strolled in through the front door.

  "Shut up, Primitivo," Soraya said to him.

  I set her down and tucked her under my arm as Falcon approached.

  "I chased him to a car and he took off." Falcon wiped his arm across his forehead to clear the sweat.

  "Good. Can you get to the security room and delete the footage?"

  "You sure we can trust Helix? We might need it to hold against him."

  "I think he's good for it."

  "Okay. And the hits," he asked low, under his breath.

  "Get to the computer in the RV, start a rumor the hit on me was pulled. Change my bid to ten mil."

  Drew and Peyton emerged from the hallway. Peyton looked confused but not scared. "What happened, Daddy?"

  "There was a burglar. He's gone now. You're safe." I hugged my girl and she hugged me back.

  "I know that. You're here. I'm safe."

  "Let's go in the kitchen and see if your mom has the ingredients for a pizookie."

  "What's a pizookie," Soraya asked.

  "You've never had a pizookie?" Peyton seemed shocked. "It's only the best cookie ice cream sundae ever and my dad makes the best ones. We have the ingredients. I make sure to add them to the shopping list every week."

  "Sounds good. Le
t's go." I wrapped my arm over Soraya's shoulder and guided her to the kitchen.

  ***

  A week after the incident at Jackie's place, I got a text on my burner phone from DNA, Helix's code name. He sent a picture. Greco. Almost unrecognizable with a least five shots to the face.

  DNA: Pay up.

  I didn't respond, but I knew he'd be happy when ten million bucks appeared in his account.

  I called Falcon on a burner phone.

  "Esta muerto." He's dead. I didn't need to say Greco's name. Falc knew a ten mil hit would go fast.

  "Excellente," he replied. "You get me now? It's satisfying, right? Knowing he's gone from this earth?"

  "I get you. Still wouldn't drag your woman into danger, but I get you."

  "I ain't got a woman. Problem solved."

  "You need a woman."

  "Absolutely do not."

  "Alright. I need a favor."

  He laughed. "You already owe me a few."

  "I do, but this one is the most important. Watch over Soraya for me. About a week."

  "You trust me with her?"

  "You've become a friend, Falc."

  He grunted.

  "Come to Galveston. Beaches are sweet."

  "You going after her ex?"

  Falcon's thoughts went straight there. "Can't say." But yes, most definitely was going after him myself.

  "You need a man?" he asked.

  "No, and you'd better not shadow me. Need you on her while I'm gone."

  He remained quiet for a moment. "Be there Monday."

  "Excellente."

  Chapter 22

  Soraya

  After Torrez returned from his mystery trip, we spent the most glorious six weeks of my life at his beach house in Galveston. He'd built a gorgeous mansion out on the south side of the island. An aged wooden boardwalk took us to our own little stretch of beach on the Gulf.

  Long stilts lifted the house above sea level. Four stories, each with a full wrap-around balcony. Inside, friendly chocolate and teal decor made the house much more earthy and lived in than Jackie's stuffy chateau. The sound of the ocean played in every room, and the sun greeted us in the mornings through huge scalloped bay windows. We spent our days walking along the shore or reading out on one of the three decks. Just being there relaxed me. All our cares seemed to blow away on the wind.

  In the evenings, Torrez cooked tasty traditional Brazilian specialties for me. My favorite was coxinhas. Fried croquettes shaped like raindrops filled with creamy cheese and chicken. How could I have lived so long and never tasted coxinhas?

  After dinner, he'd light the fireplace, hold me close in our four-poster bed, and we'd talk about everything and nothing. Even though I begged and tried to seduce him, he refused to have sex with me till the bandages were off and the wounds healed. He wouldn't touch me in any sexual way, saying he couldn't start something and not finish it.

  One Monday morning, he'd gotten up early, as he usually did, and came back to bed. He kissed me. "Mornin', babe."

  "Mmm. Morning."

  "Good news."

  "Yeah?"

  "You can take your bandages off today."

  "I can? Does that mean we can do it?"

  "Yes." He waggled his eyebrows.

  "Let's do it now." I wrapped my arms around his neck and tugged, but he held back.

  "Let's do our morning walk first."

  What? Wait? Hadn't he been going crazy like me? "No. Let's do it before and after the walk. We have to make up for six lost weeks, and I'm aching for you."

  He helped me stand and pulled me close. "I know. Me too, believe me, me too, but let's go walk."

  "It's cold out there."

  "Fresh air. Get your blood flowing. It's twenty degrees warmer here than in Boston."

  He was right. I was being a wimp. "Okay. Let me get some warm clothes on."

  He grinned.

  ***

  Torrez held my hand as he had done every morning so far. I loved the way walking with him on the beach made me feel. Natural and easy. It's like his strength and joy came through our hands and lifted my heart too. I felt happy with him. The kind of happy that never leaves you. The kind of happy that changes your life so much, you can never believe you lived without it. I'd only met this man two months ago, yet he'd showered me with an ocean of love and experience in that time. If we packed this much into our first two months, I can only imagine how exciting our life would be together.

  "Take off your shoes." He stopped near the water line for no apparent reason.

  "No! Too cold."

  "Life is too short for no. Say yes. Feel the cold. Prove you're alive."

  Over the past few weeks, I'd discovered Torrez' philosophical side. At first I thought he was a meat and guns kind of guy, but over many long nights chatting in front of the fire, I found he was really smart and liked to analyze the world from an impartial observer's perspective. A few topics hit him too deep and caused him to stop talking. He wouldn't tell me any details about the Navy, his deployments as a SEAL, or what kind of things he had to do. He'd talk about the weather and living conditions. He went on and on about Dallas and his other brothers in arms, but whenever I asked him specifics, he'd shut down and change the topic. I don't know if he couldn't tell me or just chose not to. He focused on topics like "becoming your true self" and "seizing life."

  "I don't need to freeze my tootsies to prove I'm alive." I answered his stupid request to go into the water now.

  "Take off your shoes, roll up your pants, and feel the ocean on your feet. Trust me."

  A reality check? Now? The bitter wind of January hit my feet as I took off my socks. I tried to think of his logic. You couldn't do this in Boston this time of year without risking losing a toe. That didn't mean we should do it here.

  I squealed as he guided me into the whitewater of an approaching wave. It hit my ankles and pulled me in as it receded.

  "Deeper," he said.

  "No!"

  "C'mon. You like it deeper. You're always begging me for it."

  "Shut up." I smacked his shoulder and followed him deeper. He was right. The bite of the cold water did make me feel alive, but I could also feel alive in our warm bed with him making love to me.

  A few steps in, he stopped and turned to me. The look in his eye stole my breath. The green turned to emerald, his smile held a secret, and his whole body was open to me, calling me closer.

  And then he did something that shocked me.

  He bent one knee and pushed it down into the water. His pants got wet, but he kept his eyes locked on mine.

  "What're you doing?" I laughed.

  His smile grew wider as he pulled a box from his pocket. He opened it and showed me a gold ring with a solitaire diamond.

  I stepped back and sucked in a huge breath of salt air. Was he proposing? Now? To me? But—

  He opened his mouth, and I thought I'd die if he asked me to marry him. This must be a joke. Why would he bring me out into the ocean to propose?

  With a strong gust of wind, the ring slipped from his fingers and tumbled into the water!

  "Shit." He dropped to both knees and fished around for it.

  "Oh no!" I hit the water too, barely feeling the cold. We had to find that ring before the waves carried it away.

  The longer we looked the wetter we got. At least a dozen waves came and went, and we didn't find the ring. He sat back on his ankles and sighed.

  "We have to keep looking." I kept digging deeper in the sand with my nails. The holes I dug filled in again instantly.

  "Let it go. I'll get you another ring," he said flippantly. Like he didn't just drop our future down the toilet.

  "No." I fanned my hands out, crawling deeper into the surf. My fingers had gone numb.

  He tugged on my arm, but I pulled back.

  "You're shivering and your lips are turning blue. Give up."

  "No! We have to find it. Never give up. Never!"

  "Soraya." He stopped looking and stood
still in the waves. I looked up and saw something pass in his eyes. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out another box. "That wasn't the real ring. This is your ring."

  What? Fake ring? We lost a fake ring? "Are you pranking me right now?"

  "I was before. Now I'm not."

  What the hell was he talking about? This made no sense. "You didn't just drop a diamond ring into the Gulf of Mexico?"

  "No. That one was a fake. Plastic. This one is real." He took my left hand and worked the ring on my shivering ring finger. "I want you to wear it and be my wife."

  I yanked my hand away, making sure to push the ring all the way on. Didn't want to lose another one. "You big moron! You got me soaking wet, freezing cold and faked losing my wedding ring, and now you expect me to marry you?"

  He grinned at me like I was being cute. "Not the response I was hoping for."

  That made me even more angry. "Screw you!" I sloshed through the water back up to the shore. "Screw you and whatever bonehead horse you rode in on." His chuckle behind me reached my ear over the sounds of the wind and the waves. "It's not funny, you imbecile!"

  He followed me down our private boardwalk, up the stairs, and into the living room. I kicked off my soaked sandals and stomped up the stairs to our bedroom, dripping ocean water on the floor as I went.

  I peeled off my clothes and grabbed my silk robe from behind the door. "Go away, you big doofus!" I slid the robe on but it was far too thin to provide any warmth. It stuck to my skin like wet tissue paper. I looked up and his eyes drank me in just like they did that first morning when I was wearing a see-through nightie. My man was affected by my body. I liked that. I liked it a whole lot.

  "Teimosa, listen to me." God, his soft voice was like a kiss. He looked delicious as he took my arms in his hands and forced me to face him. His wet clothes clung to every curve like fondant frosting on a cake. I stared at his pecs, mesmerized by the shadow and bump of his nipple under the fabric. The chill still stung my toes but my core heated.

  "In boot camp, we line up nut to butt and sit in the current with our legs wrapped around the man in front of us." My gaze moved from his chest to his face. His eyes were patient, but begging me to hear him. I drilled my attention on his lips, which were also distracting, and tried to listen. He continued once he saw he had my attention. "The drill instructor laughs while our balls freeze off. He taunts us about being pussies needing to press our dicks to a man's ass to keep it from freezing off. We might sit there fifteen minutes, maybe an hour. Not one man gives a shit about the position or the DI's taunting. You know what they care about?"